Distraction
by PTBvisiongrrl
Summary: Janet Evanovich. Steph works an unusual distraction case, during which she has some uncomfortably friendly moments with Tank, among others. Stephanie is unsure of the boundaries of her relationship with Ranger, and decides she wants some answers.
1. The Phone Call

I do not own any of these characters, although I would really like to meet up with Ranger in a dark room somewhere. I simply borrow and gently use them for my amusement.  
  
Chapter One  
The Phone Call  
  
She knew it was him before she answered her phone.  
  
"Yo," Ranger intoned.  
  
"Yo, yourself." Steph dropped a grape down into Rex's food bowl and leaned against the kitchen counter, arms crossed and phone tucked under her ear.  
  
"You got plans tonight?" Steph considered a moment. Another viewing of Ghostbusters probably didn't count.  
  
"Nope." She decided that she could be monosyllabic and mysterious as well.  
  
Ranger sounded surprised. "Not even dinner at your mother's?"  
  
Steph shook her head and blew out a sigh. "I'm avoiding. Even chocolate cake can't make me sit through dinner with Val, the kids, and whatever secret 'guest' my mother has planned for me."  
  
Ranger chuckled. "Scary. Must be real scary not to be worth chocolate cake."  
  
"Rumor has it-"Steph started.  
  
"Rumor?" Ranger interrupted.  
  
"Okay, the Burg grapevine," Stephanie amended, "says that my mother has imported an out-of-state bachelor as my date."  
  
"Imported?" Ranger sounded puzzled.  
  
"A friend of a friend's nephew." She shifted the phone to the other ear and poured herself some coffee. "My mother is getting desperate. Now that Morelli is engaged," her throat constricted only a moment, more for the fact that she wasn't attached than for the fact that Morelli was attached to someone other than her," my mother thinks that I'll be an old spinster."  
  
"Worse things." Ranger changed the subject. "I got a job tonight. Up for it?"  
  
"What kind of job?" Working would get her money and be a legitimate excuse to miss dinner.  
  
"Distraction."  
  
"As long as it not a redecorating job. Last building I 'redecorated' with you ended up with a big hole in the side."  
  
"Not your fault." Ranger almost sounded like he believed that, too.  
  
"Tank in on this?" She asked a little tersely.  
  
"Yes." Ranger waited for her reaction.  
  
"How many stories high will we be? Just in case."  
  
Ranger chuckled, that low throaty chuckle that showed true amusement. It meant that wherever he was, he smiled and shook his head. "Three stories, max. I'll make sure there's a lot of shrubbery to cushion a fall."  
  
Stephanie wasn't as amused by his joke as he was. "What's the distraction?"  
  
"Shorter and tighter the better."  
  
Stephanie snorted. "Need a bit more than that. High class, low class, REALLY low class?" She could be all kinds of sluts.  
  
Ranger drew in a breath. "Your choice. The skip's not that discriminating."  
  
"Just how disgusting is this guy?" Stephanie asked, her mind supplying pictures that, quite frankly, skeeved her out."  
  
"Not disgusting, just a little...hormonal." Ranger paused. "Oh, and the job is in New York."  
  
This peaked her interest. "Just where exactly are we going to grab him?"  
  
"Not sure yet. Couple of possibilities." Ranger was being vague, even for Ranger.  
  
Stephanie audibly sighed. She had yet to turn down a job when Ranger asked for her help, but she needed a little more information to do this properly. "Ranger, I need a bit more to pick out the right shoes."  
  
Ranger's voice tightened. "Still got that black dress and heels?"  
  
The black dress? She remembered Ranger's reaction to that dress before she had even gotten it on, and wasn't sure that wearing it in public with him around was safe. Of course, that could make the night interesting. "Y-y-yeah."  
  
"Wear that." Ranger's voice was a little hoarse. "We'll be clubbing it."  
  
Clubs were not great places to make an apprehension. They usually frowned on guns. "Should I go fully dressed?"  
  
Ranger indicated negatively. "No. If it turns out you need, I'll provide an extra."  
  
"Good. You know I hate getting shot at." Stephanie paused, already thinking about all the work she needed to do to herself to get presentable. And then there was presentable, and presentable for an evening in New York (working or not) with Ranger. "What time?"  
  
"Pick you up at seven." Ranger disconnected without waiting for her answer. 


	2. A Night on The Town

I do not own any of these characters, although I would really like to meet up with Ranger in a dark room somewhere. I simply borrow and gently use them for my amusement.  
  
Chapter Two A Night on the Town  
  
Stephanie had spent the better part of the day primping. There was no other word to describe it. She showered, shaved, exfoliated, and moisturized. It was too late notice to get a hair appointment, and she wasn't the best at the hair. It took two tries to wash and style it before she got it right. She tried a new rinse, one that turned her curls into soft waves, and swept it partially up in the back, letting a few stray tendrils escape at the base of her neck and around her ears. It would keep her cool if the clubs were too hot, and once hair spray was applied it would be relatively difficult to mess up unless she was rolling around on the floor. As distraction, she shouldn't actually have to do the apprehending, so the hair would be safe.  
  
Steph studied her hair in the mirror. It actually looked...nice...for a change. It framed her face and pulling it up exposed the natural highlights, variations of brown and red that didn't normally show. Deciding that it was a classy-do, she thought that the usual thick make-up might be too much. She choose a light pink lipstick, and topped it with clear gloss, making it look more natural. She lightened up on her eyeliner, still using the usual black but only applying a thin line halfway around. Eye shadow to match her lipstick and a hint of body glitter, and she stood back to observe herself in the mirror again.  
  
"Not bad," she commented out loud to herself, turning this way and that to get a better look. "Maybe I do have the talent to become a make-up girl at Macy's." A glance at the clock told her that she had enough time for a manicure and pedicure before she needed to dress.  
  
Again, she opted for the understated. By-passing Hooker Red nail polish, she dug out the supplies for an elegant French manicure. French manicure was a bitch, and it took some extra time and nail polish remover to get it right, but she was satisfied when it was done. Her toes were still drying and she was drinking a beer straight from the bottle when her mother called to remind her about dinner.  
  
"Sorry, Mom," Stephanie tried to keep her voice sheepish. "But I have work I need to do tonight."  
  
Her mother was appalled. "You can't stand up Harvey! He's driving all the way from Philly for this dinner! How could you embarrass me this way?"  
  
Stephanie made no excuses. "I have to work. Just tell Harvey where I am. I'm sure he'll understand that it's the nature of the job."  
  
Silence on her mother's end told Stephanie that Harvey had not yet been apprised of her profession. "Mom, what did you tell him that I do for a living?"  
  
Steph's mother held her breath for a moment then let it out in a noisy rush. "I told him that you did office work for your cousin."  
  
Stephanie sucked back another mouthful of beer. "If you're going to throw guys at me, you at least owe them the truth about what I do." What Stephanie purposefully left unsaid was that such honesty would eliminate the majority of suitors before a dinner invitation was even extended. After all, even a crazy Morelli couldn't handle her job.  
  
"You could do something else. The button factory is hiring."  
  
Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Gotta go." Then she hung up before her mother could start again.  
  
Steph was REALLY glad she was missing dinner tonight. Her patience with this dating game of her mother's was really starting to grate. Good girl that she tried to be, the whole thing was just taking up too much energy. She took another hit off the beer bottle, finishing it. Her toes were about dry, and she really should finish dressing. Ranger should be here any minute and she didn't want to keep him waiting.  
  
The black dress fit perfectly. She must have somehow lost the five pounds she had planned, but never actually tried, to lose. Fitting her four-inch pumps on, Stephanie looked in the full-length mirror on her closet door. She usually avoided it, but tonight she really wanted to see if she had pulled it off.  
  
Yeah, she looked pretty good. But then again, considering her usual uniform of jeans and flannel, any dress clothes would probably make her look better. Steph just hoped that the whole get up wasn't wasted on the skip. After all, Ranger had asked for the dress. And Steph was tired of waiting for Ranger to move back into her bed. Morelli had been gone for months, and despite his warning (threat) after they sealed their deal, Ranger had not yet returned. Maybe this night could serve a dual purpose.  
  
The knock on the door startled her; Ranger never bothered when it was so easy just to break in. A quick look through the peephole told her that it wasn't Ranger, though; it was Tank. She opened the door to let him in. "Hi, Tank." She couldn't help but let a little of her disappointment creep into her voice.  
  
Tank, if he noticed, didn't seem to take offense. "Hey, Bombshell. Car's out back."  
  
Stephanie picked up her itty-bitty evening bag and scrap of sheer shawl, asking, "Where's Ranger?" As she stepped out into the hall, Tank took her keys out of her hand, locking the door behind them. Steph was surprised for a second- how chivalrous.  
  
Tank gave her an up-and-down appraisal. "Nice dress." His voice was a little raw. "You're pretty good at distraction."  
  
Steph looked Tank in the eye, or as close as she could come to that, given his massive body and height. Was she just really hormonally challenged, and reading into the situation, or did she look that good? Tank couldn't possibly by affected by her appearance, could he? "Ranger picked it out."  
  
That seemed to snap Tank back into short, terse sentences. "Good choice."  
  
Yeah, must have been her imagination. That's what happens when you go into withdrawal from regular, spectacular sex. You get so desperate for another orgasm that every man becomes a possible partner. She must have it bad, considered Tank scared the hell out of her.  
  
"He'll meet us at Vinnie's. He got held up turning in a skip." She and Tank headed to the elevators, Tank motioning her to go through the doors first. He also held the lobby door open for her, and opened her car door. This was unusual.  
  
"Hey, Tank. What's up with the gentleman routine?" Steph popped out before she realized what it sounded like. "Not that you aren't gentlemanly other times," she babbled, "but it's a bit more, uh, pronounced, tonight."  
  
Tank looked at her in the rearview mirror as he started the car and eased out onto Hamilton. "Those shoes make your legs look real nice."  
  
Steph pursed her lips. That really wasn't a helpful answer. "Huh?"  
  
Tank switched lanes, glancing at her again in the rear view. "I thought I'd dust off my manners. You're my partner tonight. Don't get me shot, okay?"  
  
Steph shrugged. "I'll try."  
  
They rode in silence for the five minutes it took to get to Vinnie's bail bonds office, where they found Ranger leaning, arms crossed, against his Porsche. There was a second black SUV with two big guys sitting in it. More of Ranger's Merry Men. He greeted Tank with a nod, and his eyes narrowed when he saw Tank help Steph alight from the SUV.  
  
"Nice dress." Ranger commented. By the tenor of his voice, he wasn't looking at the dress.  
  
"Thanks." Stephanie let go of Tank's hand and walked over to Ranger. "Nice enough dress for our skip?"  
  
"He's not actually a skip." Ranger shrugged, nonchalantly he hoped. "I'm glad you went with the classy look. That will probably work better."  
  
"What do you mean, he's not actually a skip? Then what are we doing?" Steph drilled him. A hollow thought hit her in the gut. "Oh, God, we're not kidnapping him, are we?"  
  
Ranger laughed and opened the Porsche door for her and motioned her inside. "Not exactly." 


	3. Got What It Takes

I do not own any of these characters, although I would really like to meet up with Ranger in a dark room somewhere. I simply borrow and gently use them for my amusement.  
  
Chapter Three Got What It Takes  
  
Stephanie felt light-headed when Ranger filled her in on the plan and the guy she was supposed to distract. "You want me to help you distract Jason Devine? The actor, Jason Devine? The perfect looks, perfect career, perfect girlfriend, I-look-so-good-I-can-have-any-woman-I-want Jason Devine?"  
  
Ranger didn't look the least concerned. "Yes."  
  
Stephanie tried to put her head between her knees as they drove, but was prevented by the seat belt. "There's no way I can do this!"  
  
"Why not?" Ranger frowned at her as he glanced back to make sure Tank and the other men were following.  
  
"Ranger! I'm not even going to be able to get close, much less lead him on to come outside with me." Stephanie thought she was going to hyperventilate.  
  
"Why not?" Ranger reiterated.  
  
"Look at me!" Steph squeaked.  
  
Ranger turned his eyes to her from the road. He gave her a long, measured look, starting at her feet and taking in her hold body before leveling off to meet her eyes. "And the problem is?"  
  
"My breasts aren't big enough for this."  
  
Ranger peered at her in the rear view mirror. "They look big enough to me." He reached over and cupped one. "Yeah, they look good to me. We could see what Tank thinks."  
  
His touch had set lances of fire through her. She took a sharp, deep breath, trying to find control.  
  
"Fine." Steph ground out between clenched teeth. If Ranger wanted to play like he had rocks in his head, she would let him. It was his job. She still got a night out on the town with Ranger, even if they didn't get this guy.  
  
And they rode on in silence until they stopped and parked an hour later. 


	4. The Operation Begins

I do not own any of these characters, although I would really like to meet up with Ranger in a dark room somewhere. I simply borrow and gently use them for my amusement.  
  
Chapter Four The Operation Begins  
  
The first two clubs they hit were misses. Jason Devine had been and gone already. The third, a luridly red-lit façade with a neon sign proclaiming "Inferno", had a line snaking around the block. Steph was sure that Ranger would have no trouble jumping to the front of the line- one of the bouncers was actually a woman, and all woman wanted Ranger- but she wasn't so sure about her and Tank. She shouldn't have worried. The three of them were inside, at the bar, drink in hand, within five minutes. Tank's arm- not Ranger's, sigh- was around her shoulders. The plan was that she was Tank's date. They would have a rather public disagreement when she insisted on approaching Jason; Jason, it seemed, really got off on snagging the groupies. He would be interested and she would exploit that while Tank would find Jason's girlfriend.  
  
Tank had the tougher of the two jobs. Steph just needed to keep Jason's attention long enough for Tank to get the girl into a- compromising- situation. Jason paying attention to another woman with his girlfriend around apparently was a normal occurrence, as was her expected reaction- find some one else to screw for the night. The thing is, Jason didn't know about the girlfriend's usual response. She had been very discreet up until now. Steph didn't ask how compromising a situation was required, and was just glad that it wasn't Ranger's job to do it. Then, on a cue from Ranger, she was to bring Jason on the scene. Apparently, this girlfriend was a coke- addicted leech, and Jason's manager wanted them broken up. Steph was a little uncomfortable with this plan. It seemed...dishonest.  
  
Of course, she had out-right lied to get into a skip's house before, so she really shouldn't judge. Plus, if what Ranger had told her was true, this girlfriend was slowly costing the guy his health, wealth, and career. Still, she felt the case belonged in that gray area of not quite morally right, but legal, which Ranger seemed comfortable with, but she felt uneasy about.  
  
Once Jason was spotted, Ranger left them and blended in with the background crowd, or at least as well as Ranger ever blended. It was too loud to hear if any glasses had been broken yet; around Ranger, waitresses tended to get clumsy. Steph idly wondered how many women would approach him tonight, and tried not to feel jealous. Tank leaned down to whisper in her ear. "As soon as the girlfriend heads to the john for a hit, we go."  
  
Tank's whisper tickled her ear and sent a shiver up and down her spine. She really needed to work on this hormone thing, mentally reminding herself that Tank had thrown a drug dealer out of a window in her presence- from the third story! Right now, the girlfriend didn't seem to be going anywhere.  
  
Tank ordered another round of drinks while they waited for the girlfriend to leave. Steph tried to wave it away; she was a Two-Can Sam, and she needed to be at the top of her game. Tank forced it into her hand. "You gotta blend. You drink at a club, or you dance. And we can't dance and keep an eye on Jason."  
  
Steph swallowed nervously. "I don't drink well, Tank. I'm a sloppy, messy drunk."  
  
The corners of Tank's mouth curled up in a suggestion of a smile. "I'll have to remember that. Might come in handy."  
  
Tank was definitely not acting like Tank tonight. He snaked his arms around Steph's waist and pulled her closer, as if to kiss her neck. He whispered into her ear instead. "They aren't going to believe that we're a couple. You haven't touched me all night." Then he lightly kissed her at the juncture of her jaw and neck, his tongue teasing her skin in between kisses.  
  
Steph sucked in a tight breath. Tank was pretty good at that, but she was here to work. And Ranger was somewhere here watching the two of them. She was uncomfortable with Tank, but she didn't want him shot. And if Tank kept doing what he was doing, there was a good chance that her hormones might take over and Ranger would shoot them both.  
  
It had been quite a dry spell for her after living with Morelli's libido.  
  
It would also cause a scene and ruin their plan if she slapped him right now. The girlfriend was still hanging on Jason's arm. Instead, she ran her hands lightly up and down Tank's massive forearms, ending up grasping his wrists. She leaned over to breathe lightly in Tank's ear, whispering quietly "Don't over do it," before she moved his hands off her.  
  
Turning back to the bar and his drink, Tank drained it and motioned to the bar tender for another. While waiting, he draped his arm over Steph's shoulders again and pulled her close enough to whisper in her ear. "You seemed to like it. What's the problem?"  
  
Steph looked at him oddly. What the hell was going on here? "I thought you were Ranger's friend."  
  
Tank pulled up to his full height and looked down at her, one eyebrow arched. "What's Ranger got to do with this?"  
  
Pursing her lips and considering the question, Steph caught a glimpse of Devine and the girl friend out of the corner of her eye. "Shit," she silently mouthed, before leaning in to put her head on Tank's shoulder and subtly point. Tank got the message immediately, and they both went still and silent.  
  
Stephanie's heart was pounding. They had fallen out of character for just a few minutes; she hoped that Devine and his girlfriend, Kim, hadn't heard any of it. It would be suspicious, considering what was supposed to happen later.  
  
The couple stood at the bar a few people down from Steph and Tank. Steph was careful to keep giving Devine quick looks, as if she was trying to place him. After all, she and Tank were supposed to fight over her going over to talk to him. Let Devine think it took a while for her to build up the courage. Tank caught on quickly. In a slightly raised voice, he asked her, "What are you looking at?" He pulled her face back in his direction. "I'm right here, and you aren't paying me a bit of attention."  
  
Steph pretended to pout, and spoke in an exaggerated voice. "Hey, do you see who that is?"  
  
"Who cares?" Tank asked, pulling her closer to him and leaning down to kiss her. Steph evaded with a quick head twist, but his mouth met her neck instead. It didn't deter him.  
  
Steph briefly closed her eyes as her knees felt weak. Tank wasn't bad at this, at all. No where near as good as Ranger, though. That thought was like a bucket of cold water. She tried pulling away, and Tank tightened his grip. His hands went a little low for her liking, and then she felt her ass being pinched.  
  
That was the end of that. Steph took the initiative and leaned in to kiss Tank full on the lips. When his tongue snaked into her mouth to explore, she bit down. Hard. "Watch it."  
  
As soon as her teeth came down, Tank stiffened. To his credit, he didn't cry out or jerk away, just hissed sharply. He planted another light kiss near her ear and whispered in, "Play nice. Or I won't." His large bulk was suddenly tight against her, and she felt the unexpected results of her kiss and bite hard against her abdomen. Suddenly, the sheer size and strength of Tank sunk in, and she was intimidated.  
  
Luckily, Kim decided just then to go powder her nose- or more appropriately, put powder up her nose. As soon as Kim was gone, Steph took her fear and used it, putting it all behind a slap in Tank's face. "How dare you!" she screamed, her face slowly turning red as attention zeroed in on the two of them. All heads in the area, including Jason's, turned.  
  
Tank wasn't surprised by the unscripted slap. Lightening fast, he had captured the hand she had slapped him with by the wrist and wrenched it towards him. He raised his voice loud enough for Jason to hear it. "You wanna go lap dance some movie star, I ain't interested in watching. Find your own way home." Releasing her hand, he rose up from the barstool and took off, acting like he was in a fine huff. He headed toward an empty table across the dance floor, drink in hand, opposite the ladies room, and sat down. He was in perfect position to intercept Kim on her way out.  
  
Steph stood staring at him, gape-jawed. She took a few minutes to recover and settle back down on the barstool. She waited until everyone had gone back to previous conversations before she steeled herself to approach Jason. Really, the trepidation and unease at approaching him wasn't feigned; Ranger had been certain that she could attract his attention, but Steph wasn't so sure herself. Ordering another drink- plain seltzer and lime this time, to pass for a gin and tonic- she changed her mind and asked the bartender for a second drink. When asked what she wanted, she dramatically pointed to Jason, who caught her action and looked interested, and said, "One of whatever he's having."  
  
She made a display of grasping the new drinks, and making her way over to Jason. She did her sexiest stroll and a perfect imitation of a timid groupie as she waited to attract his attention.  
  
It took a minute, but Jason's head swiveled in her direction. He took a long, appraising look. "Yeah?" he asked.  
  
Steph took a deep breath. "Since my boyfriend's mad at me because of you, the least you can do is have a drink with me."  
  
Jason paused for a minute. Then he smiled at her. "I heard a bit of that. Is he too insecure to handle some competition?"  
  
Steph stomped her foot in (almost fake) exasperation. This guy had quite an ego. Tank could have chosen to crush this guy if he wanted. "I guess so."  
  
Jason motioned to the empty seat- Kim's seat- next to him. "A drink sounds nice." 


	5. Keeping Busy

I do not own any of these characters, although I would really like to meet up with Ranger in a dark room somewhere. I simply borrow and gently use them for my amusement.  
  
Chapter Five Keeping Busy  
  
Steph hoped that Tank had an easier time with Kim than she was having with Jason. She had lost sight of Tank due to the way Jason was sitting. She couldn't even tell if Kim had come out of the bathroom yet. Jason, on the other hand, didn't seem to care. He was like an octopus, and she didn't want to seem standoffish, so Jason got to touch much more of her than she really was comfortable with. She giggled and played along, all the while cursing Ranger in her head and wondering where he was. She had only been sitting with Jason for twenty minutes before he proposed they go somewhere else.  
  
Shit, Stephanie, she thought. Ranger hadn't appeared and given her the signal yet. What was she supposed to do?  
  
Steph hit on the classic girl excuse. Whispering in Jason's ear, in her sexiest voice, she asked, "Wait here for me for a minute. I have to go to the little girl's room to freshen up."  
  
This didn't seem to bother Jason. He helped her stand up before pulling her in close and planting a firm kiss on her, tongue and all. "Don't take too long."  
  
She didn't really want to let him out of her sight- what if he took off, or got preoccupied by some other slut? But she needed to buy at least a look around to see if Tank was still here. He wasn't at the table she had seen him sit at before, and Kim wasn't to be seen either. A dark shadow materialized beside her, and stopped her with a touch on her shoulder. She nearly jumped before she realized it was Ranger.  
  
His eyes were dark, flashing with something she couldn't quite name. "I told you you'd distract him just fine, Babe."  
  
Steph shuddered. "A little too fine. Is Tank in place yet?"  
  
"Yep. Ask him to bring you to a room downstairs."  
  
Stephanie looked askance. "A room here?"  
  
Ranger looked her over, eyes resting on the slightly rumpled dress. "He knows where it is."  
  
Then Ranger was gone.  
  
Freshening up took less than a minute. All she had to do was reapply lipstick, since she wasn't really intending to screw this guy. But she took a couple extra minutes to make it more realistic.  
  
Jason was waiting for her when she came out. He grabbed her hand and threaded it through his arm. "Let's get out of here."  
  
Stephanie panicked inside. Okay, she didn't like this, but if she had to, she had to. She screwed up her courage and hoped that Ranger understood. She smiled at Jason with her best blinded-by-adoration smile, and pulled her arm out of his. His hand ended up on her ass as she turned into him and put her arms around his neck. "I don't think I can wait. Is there some place here we could go?" She breathed heavily and uneasily, waiting for his answer.  
  
He kissed her again, opening her mouth forcefully with his tongue. He rubbed himself up against her, and smiled. "Sure. Follow me." 


	6. The Delivery

I do not own any of these characters, although I would really like to meet up with Ranger in a dark room somewhere. I simply borrow and gently use them for my amusement.  
  
Chapter Six The Delivery  
  
Jason pulled her along behind him, taking her past a security door and towards a set of steps. He stopped her at the top to pull her in close again. As the kiss began to end, he took her hand and put it right against his hard on. "That's just for you."  
  
Yeah, she was sure that line worked all the time for him. Outwardly, she simpered, and he leaned in again. His hands grasped her breasts and kneaded them painfully. She spared a moment to wonder if he thought they were okay, or if they should be bigger. Judging from the other hand he snaked under her skirt, he liked them just fine. When his hand reached beneath her panties, she jumped away from him.  
  
He eyed her suspiciously. "What's wrong with you?"  
  
She put her hand over her heart as it raced. Was he going to figure out something was off after she had almost got him where she wanted him? She covered as best she could. With false modesty, she giggled. "It's really open here, don't you think?"  
  
Jason's smile came back quickly. He grabbed her hand and led her down the stairs to a corridor. Pausing at the third door on the right, he leaned her against it and started kissing her again. He pushed his way between her legs, and wrapped one of her legs around him to get better access. He pushed hard against her, and against her true feelings, the hormones started responding.  
  
I mean, really. This hot actor wanted to sleep with her, and she wanted to sleep with someone. And she had no ties to anyone right now. She moaned low in her throat with every pelvic thrust. She got lost in the physical sensations until Ranger came into view behind Jason's line of sight. Ranger's face looked dangerous, and displeased. He pointed to the left, and held up one finger. She assumed that meant she had to move Jason one door down. Then Ranger slipped back into the shadows as she tried to get a grip on herself.  
  
She tried to move out of Jason's arms, but found it difficult with only one foot on the ground. She struggled against him and he immediately stilled. "Where do you think you're going?"  
  
Good question, given what they had just been doing. She gasped for air, her mouth a little dry. "I just need a minute."  
  
Jason shook his head no. "I don't." And his fingers hooked into her panties, sliding them down. She tried to stop his hands, and froze in place when she realized he had no intention of listening to her. Now, she was really scared. More of Ranger stalking the shadows than Jason, because she knew Ranger wouldn't let anything happen against her will. But if Ranger stepped in, that would ruin the night's plan completely. As well as possibly cause serious physical damage to the octopus.  
  
"Please!" she said in a panicked voice.  
  
Jason continued rubbing against her, his hands still entangled in her panties.  
  
"Jason! C'mon, I thought you were taking me someplace private. This isn't working for me."  
  
"Will you stop talking if I find a room?"  
  
"Yes." Stephanie prayed in her head, and it seemed to have worked. Jason lifted his weight from her and released his panty hold.  
  
He took her hand and, thank god, headed right for the room Ranger had pointed towards. He opened the door and went through it first. He stopped dead still two steps into room.  
  
Steph waited a minute or two, but when he didn't move, she pushed in to see what had stopped him so suddenly.  
  
Apparently the plan called for an extremely compromising situation. Steph went white at the sight. It was a Kim sandwich. Kim was between Lester and Bobby, all of them naked and rocking. Tank was still mostly clothed, but his...appendage was in Kim's mouth, and she was going at it for all that she was worth. Judging from Tank's face, she was doing a pretty good job, too. Steph tried to pull her eyes away from the scene, but she had never seen this done in person before. She wondered how one woman could hold two big guys like Lester and Bobby all at once, and wondered if Lester and Bobby were a little uncomfortable, what with their faces so close together like that. If Lester and Bobby were girls in that position, they would kiss, but since they were guys....  
  
Her curious mind needed to be shut down. This was not a live porn show. This was not something she needed to see, but it was burned into her mind now. Mary Lou would cream her panties when Steph told her about this. Tank gave a moan, then Bobby. Lester grasped harder at Kim's waist and moaned about a minute later.  
  
Jason had been frozen this whole time. Kim's panting and "God, don't stop yet!" finally sunk in. He didn't even yell. "You fucking whore."  
  
Kim froze in place as Lester and Bobby pulled themselves out. She was left there, shivering and gasping, as the realization of what had happened washed over her face. Jason turned and walked out, and Kim started grabbing clothing to follow him.  
  
That left Steph in a room with two naked, smiling guys, and Tank. She tried to keep her eyes on their faces, but her eyes kept drifting down of their own volition. Steph made a fast decision. "I'll be at the bar." 


	7. An Adult Conversation

I do not own any of these characters, although I would really like to meet up with Ranger in a dark room somewhere. I simply borrow and gently use them for my amusement.  
  
Chapter Seven An Adult Conversation  
  
Steph made her way back up the stairs, out the security door, and headed for the ladies' room. She had to do some clean up and rearranging. She looked herself over in the mirror. Her lips were slightly swollen, there was a slight bruise building on her neck, and her hair was perfect. Wow. When she pushed open the ladies' room door to leave, she saw Ranger was at the same table Tank had previously occupied. He had two drinks in front of him, and motioned her to come over. "I don't think Jason will want to see Kim anymore."  
  
Clearing her throat, Steph managed to agree. "No, I think he saw enough of her downstairs." She was unsure what else to say. This hadn't been your typical distraction job, and she had had some emotions and feelings swirling up inside of her. She was still processing what had happened.  
  
She felt icky. Dirty. She didn't like the things she had to do for this particular job. Simple skip tracing was better than this shit.  
  
And how on earth was she going to look Tank, Bobby, or Lester in the eye again? She'd turn pink to the roots of her hair every time she saw them. Ranger seemed to pick up on her unease a little. "Once Tank gives me the all clear, we'll leave."  
  
So they sat in silence until the big guy made his way over. "Boss, Bombshell. We've cleared out. Back to headquarters?"  
  
Ranger got up and nodded. "Take Stephanie home on the way. I have some things to tie up before I go." Then he left.  
  
The abruptness of his departure chilled Stephanie. Something was wrong, and she wondered if it was something she did, but what? She had done the job he's asked her to do. Sure, she had to do some improvising, not always her strong point, but she had kept the guy busy and gotten him to the meeting point on time.  
  
Shit. Could Ranger tell that she enjoyed some of it? But how could he blame her! He wasn't back in her bed, no one was in her bed, so no one could tell her what to enjoy or not enjoy, dammit. But now she felt bad. Ranger wasn't even driving back with her.  
  
And then she realized that meant she was driving back with either Tank, who still made her nervous, or Lester and Bobby, who she could not look at right now without feeling embarrassed. She hoped Tank would be her driver.  
  
"C'mon, Bombshell." Tank grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the exit. She could see the car had already been pulled around; did that mean that someone else was driving with them? She panicked.  
  
Tank picked up on her panic, which had slowed her feet. He looked her over and shook his head. "I told Ranger this might not be a good idea."  
  
That snapped Steph out of it. "What do you mean?"  
  
Tank motioned to the car. "If you get in, I'll explain on the ride." When her head pivoted in several directions, he sighed. "No one is riding with us. Is that a problem?"  
  
Actually, when Steph considered it, it might be one. Tank's behavior towards her earlier tonight...she suddenly wasn't entirely comfortable with that, either. But she needed to get home, and who knew when Ranger would be leaving. Or if he would even consent to being in the same car as her. She frowned, "Not unless you make it one." She tried to sound threatening, but she just didn't do threatening well. Tank chuckled as he opened the door for her.  
  
"I will be a perfect gentleman."  
  
She hopped up and he closed the door. While he went around to the driver's side, Steph carefully adjusted her dress so that it covered up as much of her body as possible. It was a very little dress, so it took a great deal of concentration. She jumped when Tank slammed his door.  
  
The look on Tank's face was hard to read. "We gotta talk."  
  
"We are talking," Steph mumbled grumpily. Tank ignored the comment and went on.  
  
"Can you handle what happened tonight?"  
  
"I'm fine."  
  
"No, Steph, really. You're just a girl from the burg, and this whole job was a twisted mess. I have a feeling you're a little uncomfortable." He smiled at her gently. "I mean, how many times have you eye-witnessed group sex?"  
  
Steph coughed. "I'm uncomfortable discussing this."  
  
"That was a rhetorical question. After all, its not Thursday night." Tank gave a small smile. "At least I'd hoped you didn't have a positive answer for it."  
  
Steph gave him a half-smile. "This was not the job I thought I'd signed on for, that's for sure."  
  
Tank shifted into drive and pulled out into traffic. "This wasn't a typical job. I'm not sure why Ranger took it. But he I think he found it to be a very convenient...test."  
  
She was a little distracted with the throbbing headache she felt building. "What was the test?"  
  
"Me."  
  
Through narrowed eyes, and in a very pissed off voice, Steph tersely said, "What?"  
  
Tank had the temerity to chuckle. "We were supposed to be a couple on a date. Ranger didn't trust himself to be able to play-act that with you and still be able to concentrate on the job, so he asked me. He trusts me."  
  
"What did he trust you to do, Tank? You were pretty damn friendly." Steph stated hotly.  
  
"I think he wanted to see how you would react to me making a pass at you, for real. Not just as part of the job."  
  
"WHAT? WHY THE HELL-"Steph yelled.  
  
Wincing, Tank shouted over her. "Listen, will you?"  
  
Steph snapped her mouth shut and crossed her arms in front of her.  
  
Waiting to see if she would really let him continue, Tank changed lanes. "Ranger likes you a lot, Steph. I know most of what's happened between you. Do you know why he hasn't tried to sleep with you since Morelli's out of the picture?"  
  
That was a question that Stephanie had been asking herself for some time. The only answers she came up with were not self-flattering, so she had tried to ignore them and the question as well. "I wish I knew."  
  
"Think about it, Steph. It's obvious you two have chemistry; it's been obvious for months." Tank looked in the mirror at her hopefully. "Don't you get it?"  
  
"No," she sighed. "I don't know how Ranger's mind works."  
  
"I've known Ranger forever, and I don't know how his mind works all the time."  
  
Steph interrupted. "For how long?"  
  
"What?" Tank asked, confused.  
  
"How long have you known him?"  
  
"We grew up together. I don't remember a time when I didn't know him." Tank got a smile on his face as he thought about it. "We've been best friends for just as long. And I have to tell you, you have the ability to turn him inside out like no other woman ever has."  
  
Steph smiled grimly. "Nice to know."  
  
Tank's turn to sigh. "You aren't getting this. Let me be blunt. And keep in mind this is what I think, not what I know, because Ranger hasn't exactly confided in me about this. Ranger wants you, but he doesn't want you at any cost. He doesn't want to be rebound man after Morelli, and he doesn't just want sex with you. I think he wants something more, but he's afraid you don't." Tank studied her in the mirror again, as best he could. "Do you?"  
  
Steph teared up. "I don't know what I want, that's the whole damn problem. I've spent my entire thirty-three years of existence just letting life happen around me and letting it drag me in. I just have things fall in my lap, and I pick it up like a new toy and play with it until it breaks. Then I wait for a new toy, instead of going out to look for one that I really want."  
  
Tank frowned. "I think I get you. You've been thinking a lot since Morelli split, huh?"  
  
"Yeah." Steph opened her small bag and extracted a hanky. "And I'm glad he went. I almost had myself talked into marrying him, that it would be a good thing because that's what I'm supposed to do. I should have learned something a little more from my first marriage, but I guess I didn't."  
  
"What should you have learned?" Tank asked.  
  
"I should have learned that I'm really not cut out for that marriage crap. Or at least marriage to someone who puts me down. I deserve better." Steph wiped at her eyes. She couldn't believe that she was having this conversation with Tank, of all people. It was refreshing to hear a new point of view on her situation, though. She hoped she didn't blubber too much.  
  
"Ranger has never put me down. And he's had more cause to do so than most. Christ, I got him shot."  
  
Tank nodded. "That's the kind of guy he is. If he thinks you're an idiot, he just won't deal with you. If he bothers with you, he likes you."  
  
Steph sniffled. "So Ranger likes me."  
  
"He's given you how many cars?" Tank snorted.  
  
"I thought those might be a hint." Steph pulled out the question she hoped Tank could answer. "I figured out a while ago that I want Ranger. The hard part is how do I tell him? We played this stupid game for so long, I don't know if he'll believe me. Especially after tonight."  
  
Tank leaned his head to one side, then the other, quickly cracking his neck. It seemed like a nervous tick. He asked, even though he wasn't sure he wanted the answer. "What part about tonight?"  
  
"Well, I assume the part where you were testing me, I've passed." Steph looked at him. "Not that you weren't really sexy or anything, but you aren't Ranger."  
  
"Thanks," he said, his eyes laughing. "You passed my test; but I haven't said anything about what went on with Ranger."  
  
"Oh, god. Then he must really think I'm whoring it up." Steph slumped down in the seat.  
  
"Huh, I was...other wise occupied for a chunk of time there. What exactly did you do to get Devine down there?"  
  
"Pretty much anything he wanted. The man is all hands." Steph didn't really want to give details.  
  
"Ranger set the job up and knows what might be required in that situation. As long as you weren't fucking the guy-"Tank saw Steph slump down further. "Oh, man, you didn't, did you?"  
  
"Not exactly,"  
  
"Steph, either you did or you didn't. There really isn't a half-way here." Tank looked at her face. She looked miserable. What the hell could she have done that was so bad? "Just what did you do?"  
  
"I had to keep him busy. It's not like I had a choice."  
  
Tank began to have an inkling. "You didn't blow him, did you?"  
  
"Ew! No! That's disgusting, he's a complete stranger-"and then she cut herself off, remembering just what had kept Tank busy. "Oh. Sorry." She looked up at him, and he wasn't the least bit embarrassed.  
  
Actually, he had a shit-eating grin on his face. "Hey, everybody has their preferences."  
  
Great, Steph. You don't respond to his pass and you basically told him he's disgusting, she thought to herself. "It's the stranger part that skeeves me."  
  
"Whatever floats your boat." He was still grinning. "So what did you do that was so horrible? Hand job?"  
  
"You know, these aren't things I normally discuss with a guy. Actually, these are things I just don't normally discuss at all."  
  
Tank felt a little of why Ranger was so frustrated with Stephanie. She was actually very white bread and clean cut; she couldn't even discuss sex. She was blushing. "Bombshell, I think you need to learn to relax and not be embarrassed. Adults have sex and engage in sexual activity. How do you tell the guy your with what you like, if you can't talk about it with a guy?" he ribbed her.  
  
He felt bad about it instantly when he saw her face. He couldn't believe it. "You don't tell the guy what you like. You let him do all the steering."  
  
Her skin burned an even brighter red. "This is that whole being raised Catholic thing, isn't it?" he asked.  
  
She nodded. "It's that going to hell and guilt stuff they cram into your head. I'm already going to hell for just doing it missionary; I don't need to add anything on to that."  
  
Tank whistled and shook his head. "Oh, the things you haven't done that I bet you'd like..." his eyes glazed over a little bit at the picture in his head before he snapped out of it. He at least had the grace to look a little embarrassed at himself. "So tonight really did throw you for loop, then."  
  
She nodded in agreement again. "Please tell me that most of your jobs consist of throwing people out of windows."  
  
Laughter caught her off guard. "You must be pretty uncomfortable with the sex talk if you'd prefer me throwing people out of windows."  
  
"People out of windows is a safe scary." Steph sniffed and wiped her nose with the handkerchief.  
  
Tank shook his head. "Never heard it put that way." He sat in silence for moment. Steph really was an interesting girl. That must be part of what appealed to Ranger. Thinking of Ranger, "So what did you do with this guy that you think Ranger is mad at you for?"  
  
Steph sniffed again. "I told you, it's not like a had a lot of choice." Tank was looking at her in the rearview mirror again. "Don't do that. Don't look at me when I tell you. Shouldn't you be paying attention to the road? I don't want to die in a car crash tonight."  
  
"Quit changing the subject. I can't believe that you are sitting in a car talking to me after you walked in on that scene, but you're chicken to tell me what exactly you did with Devine." Tank made it sound like a dare.  
  
Even at her most scared, a dare would always motivate Stephanie Nicole Plum.  
  
"Don't look at me." Steph reiterated. Taking a deep breath, she recounted how she and Devine made it to the stairs.  
  
"He was going to do you on the stairs? How low-rent can you go."  
  
"Thanks, Tank. That makes me feel better already," Steph intoned.  
  
"Sorry. It's a comment on him, not you." The sorry actually sounded sincere to Steph's ears.  
  
Clearing her throat, Steph tried to take a deep breath and spit it out. She tried, really, but nothing would come out. She cleared her throat again, found her voice, and talked to Tank as she stared out on the road. "He was grabbing me everywhere and had me pushed up against the door. I only had one foot on the ground, and I couldn't really control what was happening. He started rubbing against me, and I couldn't help it. It just felt good. But then Devine got his hands in my panties and almost got them off me. And that's when I saw Ranger watching us from the shadows. He saw the whole thing." Steph got the courage to look at Tank. "Ranger did not look happy. He looked- dangerous."  
  
Tank whistled. "Sounds like you had a full night. Sounds like you did your job, even when it got tough. From what you said, it sounds like you didn't have any choice, tough-as-nails bounty hunter or not. Believe it or not, Ranger will understand."  
  
"If I was just doing my job, maybe he would. But I started to enjoy some of it, and I think it was fairly obvious." Steph chewed her lip. Maybe Ranger wasn't upset. But then why didn't he drive her home?  
  
"You did your job. Given the situation, even if you didn't enjoy it, you were supposed to look like you were. "Tank considered a moment. "And you stopped me cold."  
  
"Ranger was watching, and I did promise you that I would try not to get you shot tonight."  
  
Tank understood the implication. "So you did like it!"  
  
"I told you, you're not bad, but you're not Ranger." 


	8. Clarification

I do not own any of these characters, although I would really like to meet up with Ranger in a dark room somewhere. I simply borrow and gently use them for my amusement.  
  
Chapter Eight Clarification  
  
Tank and Steph talked on and off for the rest of the ride home, Steph trying to find out more about Ranger, Tank trying to gauge how long it would take Steph to let Ranger in on her feelings. Neither was very successful.  
  
When Tank pulled up in her lot, she was almost out of the vehicle before it stopped. Tank insisted on following her inside. "Ranger would kill me if I didn't check out the apartment for you. You might as well live in a cardboard box for all the protection those locks give you."  
  
Steph led him to the elevator and punched two. "Ranger's the only one who breaks in on a regular basis." The look on Tank's face told her that this was new information for him.  
  
As they exited, Tank held out his hand for her keys. "This really isn't necessary, Tank-"Steph started. One more look shut her mouth. Tank took his responsibilities to Ranger very seriously. He drew his gun, checked out all the rooms and under the bed ("You really need to take a mop to under this bed. The dust bunnies will get you in your sleep one night!") He handed her keys back as he re-holstered.  
  
She stood by the door to let him out and lock up. On his way, he caught her chin in his hand and pulled her eyes up to meet his. "I hope you figure out what you want soon, for Ranger's sake." Then he leaned down and placed a gentle, subtle kiss on her lips.  
  
Steph almost jerked back when she realized there was a kiss coming up, but was glad she didn't. It was a simple kiss of friendship, nothing tawdry or demanding about it. Then he left, and she was standing alone.  
  
She locked the door and headed to the bathroom, stopping only long enough to grab a beer from the fridge. She stripped her dress and panties off and left them on the floor. Standing under the showerhead, she ran scalding hot water and scrubbed down every inch of herself twice. Then she stood until the hot water turned cold. Pulling the shower curtain aside, she came face to face with Ranger.  
  
Ranger looked at her with those smoldering Cuban eyes. "Babe."  
  
Speech was gone. Steph couldn't even manage "Hello." She dripped over the tile floor, leaning to get a towel, frozen. Ranger reached for her, snagged a towel, and wrapped it carefully around her. When he tucked the end in, his hands grazed her breasts and rested against them for a moment. Then he withdrew. "I'll be in the kitchen," he called over his shoulder.  
  
It took a moment for the stupor to pass. Steph hugged the towel against her, reaching for another to dry her hair with. The perfect up-do was history; she was back to tangled, curly every day mess. Why did Ranger take so long? She didn't look that good anymore.  
  
Wait. Ranger was HERE. In her apartment. And had seen her naked in the shower for about the fifth time. But more importantly, he was here. She hated that she was so unsure of herself and not very good at these sexual/relationship issues. Surely Ranger couldn't be that upset with her, if he bothered to show up, and break in to do it. Right?  
  
God, she hoped so.  
  
She was still unsure, though, and nervous. And that made her unsure how to dress. She had been on her way to bed when Ranger popped up; suddenly, the T-shirt and panties she had planned on were a little too revealing. Boxers and a T-shirt were friendly, but none were clean; a flannel night shirt was just too "granny" for anyone to see her in but an EMT unit or coroner; and she was not brave enough, even on a good night, to greet Ranger in lingerie. Fuck it, she thought, after fifteen minutes of internal debate. She decided to reach for her usual jeans and T-shirt. Just as she pulled on a clean bra and panties- Supergirl symbol in pink- Ranger appeared in the doorway, two beer bottles in hand.  
  
"Cute, Supergirl. Dressing up for Batman?" Ranger's eyes roamed her body.  
  
Stephanie didn't even try to cover up, although she wasn't the most comfortable standing around in her underwear in front of Ranger. Lots of looking at her had to be good, right? That meant he wasn't upset with her, right? She put her hands on her hips. "All sold out of Batgirl." She mentally congratulated herself on a) being able to talk at all, and b) coming up with a bit of witty (okay, not so witty) repartee. "Are those for me?"  
  
"You were taking too long. I wanted to make sure that you hadn't taken off via the fire escape" Ranger handed her one bottle and took a long drink of the other, his head tilted back in breath-taking profile. Stephanie ran the cool bottle over her face, trying to calm her hormones down. She was trying not to rush into another physical encounter with Ranger until they talked. She needed some additional information before she would be comfortable in exploring any further relationship with him. It was just going to be difficult- very difficult- to keep that in mind.  
  
When Ranger finally put the bottle down, Stephanie raised an eyebrow. "What? Ranger actually drinking alcohol? Is there a solar eclipse or planetary alignment or something?"  
  
He chuckled and moved to settle down on her unmade bed. He gathered her pillows to pile behind him when he paused, and raised one to sniff. "New bath gel?" he inquired.  
  
Red blossomed in Stephanie's face and she ducked behind her hair. "So did you finish business in New York early?"  
  
Ranger leaned back and laced his hands behind his head. "It didn't take as long as I thought it might. Kim was It was fairly easy to remove her and her possessions from Devine's apartment." Ranger stretched like a cat. "His housekeeper had already started packing when I arrived, and Jason was helping throw things out his windows."  
  
Stephanie tried to think of something else to say, but anything she came up with had to do with her performance tonight. Plus, Ranger was just watching her, which made her very nervous. She opted for no talking, and sat down next to him, careful not to let body parts intermingle. Silence filled the room. Stephanie felt like a contraction. She wanted to touch Ranger, and then she didn't. She knew she needed to ask if Ranger was upset with her, but she couldn't quite bring it up. She was too afraid of the answer- either way. It was all very confusing and worrisome.  
  
The silence went on, until Ranger reached over and took her hand. "I had an interesting conversation with Tank while you were in the shower." His thumb rubbed across her palm, warm and rough.  
  
Stephanie felt panic building. Just what had Tank told him? "Really."  
  
Silence reigned again, broken- again- by Ranger. "He told me that you and I should have a serious talk tonight. That you were uncomfortable working a job like tonight's."  
  
Stephanie nodded, her throat tight, still not looking at him.  
  
Ranger's hand tightened around hers and pulled her towards him. She tried to resist, but his strength won. She ended up in a controlled free- fall that ended on his chest. Oh, what a chest. The firm muscles made a comfortable pillow under her cheek, and the arm that suddenly encircled her felt- natural. Like that's where it belonged. "It was not my intention to make you uncomfortable. I'm sorry that happened."  
  
Regret rang true in his voice. Steph's head reeled. He was worried about her feelings, not what he had witnessed in that hall. Thank god. She sniffled a little as relief flooded her. "Babe," Ranger whispered. He kissed the top of her head.  
  
"I'm never going to be able to look Bobby and Lester in the face again without turning bright red." She shivered.  
  
"What about Tank?"  
  
"We talked on the ride home. I think I can still work with Tank."  
  
"Even if you have to play his date again?" Ranger's voice was strained, as if he was waiting for a certain answer.  
  
"I could deal. We came to an understanding."  
  
Ranger's arms tightened around her. "What kind of understanding?"  
  
"He's not you, and never will be. Can you be my date next time?"  
  
"I wouldn't be able to concentrate, babe. And this job involved a bit more than just being your date."  
  
"True." Steph chuckled a little. "How did you pick him? Did the guys draw straws, the short straw had to go out with me?"  
  
"He volunteered."  
  
"Does he have a wife or girlfriend I should know about?"  
  
"This was strictly business, and she doesn't want to know about business."  
  
"Didn't look strictly business to me."  
  
"You didn't look like all business tonight, either." His voice sounded hoarse, as if it had caught in his throat a little.  
  
Steph pulled away from him to put some distance between them. "So you are mad at me."  
  
"Mad about what?" Ranger questioned, puzzlement in his voice.  
  
"Tank kissed me, really kissed me, dammit, and Jason Devine has more hands than an Indian god."  
  
"Seeing you kissing Tank wasn't easy, but I knew it was an act." Ranger paused. "You looked like you enjoyed fooling around with Jason."  
  
"How much did you see from your shadows?" Steph asked, trying to judge what he had seen and how she could best explain it.  
  
"I saw him get a little impatient, and I saw him get into your panties. You didn't seem to enjoy that last part with the panties." Steph had listened closely for any intonation that would give her a heads up on Ranger's feelings about tonight. His voice was neutrally pitched, though.  
  
She hesitated a minute before replying. "Up until then, I was getting into it. Not every day that I get to make out with a movie star, you know." Steph waited for his response.  
  
Honesty seemed like a good approach. Ranger ran a finger down her spine. "It was kind of hard to watch. I thought he might end up giving you some trouble, and then I'd have to hurt him. But before there was any trouble-"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You looked gorgeous, really hot, while you were enjoying it." Ranger voice was like furnace; it started parts of Stephanie quivering in reaction. "I liked watching you."  
  
Stephanie tried to catch her breath, but Ranger was making it more difficult. "That dress looked better on you than I thought it would. I could see your nipples right though it."  
  
Stephanie wasn't sure how to respond to that. In a wavering voice, she admitted her discomfort. "Tonight was not fun, though. I thought it would be a relatively easy job, and maybe we could spend some time in New York. I didn't think I would be mauled and witness group sex."  
  
She felt Ranger's face change expression. "After all," his voice rumbled in her ear, "it's not Thursday." He must be smiling, his eyes crinkled at the corners.  
  
"That was my first distraction, and I got flustered. Are you all going to keep reminding me of that comment?" Stephanie's voice showed her exasperation for a minute, before the stress came back into it. "I'm not comfortable with stuff like that."  
  
Ranger's hand rubbed her back gently. There was a little regret in his voice again. "I wouldn't know what kinds of sex you're comfortable with."  
  
Stephanie shivered. There was a lot going on beneath that comment. The regret in his voice made her a little braver than she might otherwise have been. "Why haven't you found out yet? Morelli's been gone for months."  
  
The perfect chest stopped moving for a minute. Ranger had held his breath for a moment, before he let it out slowly. It was the only sign Steph had ever had, in any situation, that he was nervous. Ranger just didn't get nervous. She waited for him to respond, but he took too long. Where were the lewd comments, the innuendo? She sat up and gave him a long look.  
  
"It's complicated." Was Ranger's only response.  
  
"How articulate!" Stephanie snorted. Interesting answer, though. It was the closest to an admission of emotion Ranger had made beyond a few brief comments to her. "What makes it so complicated?"  
  
Another momentary pause. "Would it be that easy for you? To just fall into bed with me?"  
  
Laughter came out before she could stop it. "Nothing about you is easy."  
  
"Some would say the same about you, Babe." Ranger cupped her chin in his hand and forced her eyes to his. "So you wouldn't just fall into bed with me?"  
  
Crossing her arms, Steph sighed. "Any day of the week, and twice on Saturday. Face it, Ranger, I'd be insane to turn you down. You're HOT. You're the shit." She racked her brain for a better comparison. "You're fucking Batman." She stared at a place over Ranger's shoulder. "And you're damn good at it."  
  
A slight smile curled up the corners of his mouth. "You want me."  
  
"Ranger, I've wanted you since the minute you walked into that restaurant to Henry Higgins me." Stephanie surprised herself by blurting out an honest answer instead of hiding behind flirting. She needed Ranger to be equally honest with her, because it wasn't, and could never be, just sex with Ranger. That was the problem. "Wanting is easy with you. It's the actually going to bed with you part that scares me, and everything that goes along with it."  
  
Ranger's eyes darkened, and he leaned towards her. His face was only inches away. "What, exactly, scares you about going to bed with me?"  
  
Steph gulped. He looked so intense- and sexy. He was sitting here in her bed, and she was explaining why she didn't want to have sex with him. This was all wrong. "You said you don't do relationships, but we HAVE a relationship. The problem is, you know the boundaries because you set them, and I didn't get any say. Are you really okay, knowing that I was pretty happy making out with another guy? I mean, if this is just physical, am I allowed other guys, as long as they aren't Morelli?" She paused. He looked unhappy. "Or am I just yours? And if I am, where the hell have you been? I have needs, dammit!"  
  
Steph took a deep breath and tried to calm down. "I just need some clarification. You've told me more than once that you love me. What did you mean?" Steph pressed.  
  
Ranger reached for the rest of his beer, and took another mouthful. He rubbed the bottle, wiping off condensation. Ranger was not good at discussing emotions. Steph thought that this emotional avoidance was one of the reasons Ranger didn't do relationships. "It means what it means."  
  
"There are all types of love, Ranger. You said you loved me in your own way. What does that involve?" Steph pressed him further. He lay back on the pillows and closed his eyes. Steph poked him. "Hey, I want an answer!"  
  
He didn't move. "I'm thinking about what to say."  
  
"Then let me keep talking. You've pulled my fat out of the fire whenever I needed help, however bad the situation was. I've gotten you shot, I've had your cars stolen AND blown up, I broke into your apartment and invaded your private space, and I tried to trade you to Joyce Bernhardt when you were an FTA. I got a night of great sex that I hope we will get to repeat. I've gotten a lot out of this relationship. What do you get out of it?"  
  
He opened his eyes and looked at her. He didn't respond.  
  
"Did you kill Abruzzi?" Steph shot at him, her tone angry and fragile at the same time.  
  
"You don't want the answer to that. You shouldn't ask questions that you'd rather not know the answer to," Ranger warned.  
  
"No, no, I do. I'm tired of the mysterious act. I need to know about you. I know you're far more than the persona you've adopted for the public. Show me." The last bit came out as a half-sob, she was so frustrated at trying to make Ranger understand what she wanted from him.  
  
Ranger was on her in a minute. He flipped her on the bed and pinned her down. His breath was hot against her neck, and his hands and mouth were everywhere. Her body responded, even though she didn't want it to. It took her a few minutes to get herself under control. What snapped her out of the wonderful things that Ranger was doing to her body was when he started to take her panties down.  
  
Her hands pressed against his, stopping the removal. "Don't."  
  
Ranger paused in his ministrations. "I want you. Now," he growled. He looked into her eyes, breathing heavily.  
  
Steph closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She wanted him, too, but she needed to finish this conversation. "Talk to me."  
  
A string of Spanish curses and Ranger pulled himself off of her. He retreated to the lone chair in the room.  
  
Stephanie felt panic again. God, this would be good sex, and by the time this conversation was over, Ranger might not want to go back to it. 


	9. An Admission

I do not own any of these characters, although I would really like to meet up with Ranger in a dark room somewhere. I simply borrow and gently use them for my amusement.  
  
Chapter Nine An Admission  
  
Stephanie pulled herself up from the bed and straightened the little that she wore. Pushing her hair back, she leaned against her bureau, a safe distance from Ranger. "What was your wife like?"  
  
Eyes narrowed, Ranger's voice was puzzled and impatient. "Why are you asking that right now?"  
  
"Did you love her, too?"  
  
Ranger finished off the beer on his nightstand. "I married her, didn't I?"  
  
"That's not an answer."  
  
"Why do you need to know this?"  
  
"Ranger, I really want to sleep with you right now. But I don't know you. I know hardly anything about you. Sex with you is like doing it with a blindfold. Scary and wonderful, but still scary." Stephanie reached for her jeans. She needed more clothing between her and Ranger. "I'd rather have sex with someone I know and trust than a stranger. If I wanted a stranger, I could've had Jason Devine, or even Tank."  
  
A muscle contorted in Ranger's face. "Tank's wife wouldn't have liked that."  
  
A retort that Tank's wife have wouldn't liked a lot of what happened tonight died in Steph's mouth. "Ranger, listen to what I'm trying to say. I'm asking you, is this just going to be sex, or do you want something more, too?"  
  
The "too" got his attention. His voice was raw. "What's wrong with just sex?"  
  
Stephanie felt her heart begin to drop. "If that's what we both want, and are happy with, nothing." She paused, biting her lip. "Are you happy with just sex?"  
  
Ranger reached for her again, unsnapping jeans one-handed. "Let's find out."  
  
Emotionally, Steph was unsatisfied with the conversation. Physically, her body wanted to know why she was still talking. She returned his urgent kisses fiercely, biting his lip and sucking his tongue into her mouth. She quieted her mind as best she could. His hands- and tongue- and other hard parts of him- took care of the rest.  
  
When they were through, some time later, Steph lay snuggled up against Ranger's back, bare skin to bare skin. Her eyes were closed, and she was almost asleep when she heard Ranger's whispered answer to the Abruzzi question.  
  
"I killed Abruzzi to protect you. It was the only way he was going to let you alone. I needed to keep you safe."  
  
Steph considered it a moment. Her feelings about Ranger didn't really change, finally knowing what she had suspected all along. Abruzzi's death was the only thing that had kept her alive after Evelyn's departure with Annie. This admission was also the closest thing to an explanation of how Ranger loved her that she was likely to get. "I thought so. I never got a chance to say it, but thanks."  
  
Steph closed her eyes, soaking up his warm presence next to her until she drifted off to sleep. It was sometime before Ranger's finally relaxed enough that his breath fell into the deep pattern of sleep. 


End file.
